What kind of ideas can we help with?

All you need is an idea and the drive to turn it into reality.

In Hailsham, the Crochet and Chat Club launched in October 2020 and initially had to navigate online meetings to get started. The club has become a lifeline for members of the group.

The Willingdon Trees Pop Up Art Studio was started by two residents during lockdown. The Making it Happen Team worked with them to develop their plans and they now run regular sessions at the Trees Community Centre. The Team were introduced to them by Compass Community Arts who provide mentoring to ensure the group can continue to be fully inclusive. The group held an exhibition of their work and is now extending their network to support a new studio space in Hampden Park.

The Peacehaven Community Centre and Mosque have set up ‘Souper Social Moments’.  Souper is being led by the Centre’s youth group and provides an opportunity for anyone to come and chat with their neighbours over a cup of soup.  A key aim for the project is to involve young people to build their confidence to meet people from a diverse community.  They want to make connections and to bring people together over something lovely to eat.

In Castle, a local resident shared his passion for photography with a community group he had been encouraged to speak at. The group agreed to participate as models for a series of portraits depicting local men, and he received a Small Sparks grant to create an exhibition of his work. Key to the success has been the support of other local groups and organisations for this individual.

In Bexhill, CDWs have worked with a local resident wanting to set up a support group for women who don’t speak English as a first language.  The resident is keen to provide a safe space for the women to meet for mutual support, to build confidence and improve their English language skills. The team have worked with her to access a grant, find a venue, identify training needs, and with ideas to support the promotion of the group.

In Newhaven, The Tide Mills choir was formed as a social activity for people to come together after repeated lockdowns and performed at the Tide Mills Heritage Festival in 2021.  Members of the choir reported that they felt they had achived something valuable in their community and that it had helped people connect in a meaningful way.